The National Botanic Garden of Wales » Garden of Waleshttp://www.gardenofwales.org.uk
Conservation. Education. InspirationTue, 31 Mar 2015 11:33:17 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.9It’s a Gifthttp://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/news/its-a-gift-2/
http://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/news/its-a-gift-2/#commentsFri, 31 Oct 2014 21:10:11 +0000http://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/?p=26041If you are on the look-out for great gift ideas then this is the event for you: a one-stop present-buying shop all under one roof – and what a roof!

The Gift Fair (Saturday and Sunday, November 8-9) takes place in the stunning surrounds of Lord Foster’s Great Glasshouse, which is not only the largest single-span glasshouse on the planet but also guarantees you won’t get rained on!

]]>http://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/news/its-a-gift-2/feed/0Garden wins Heritage Lottery Fund supporthttp://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/news/garden-wins-heritage-lottery-fund-support/
http://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/news/garden-wins-heritage-lottery-fund-support/#commentsWed, 29 Oct 2014 14:00:58 +0000http://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/?p=25240The first stage of a £6.7 million plan to restore historic Regency landscape at the National Botanic Garden of Wales has been given the green light.

What will be the biggest project in the Garden’s history aims to uncover the origins of Middleton Hall – the 568-acre estate that the Garden now occupies ¬– and to tell the story of more than 250 years of East India Company influence that shaped the landscape of this part of Wales.

It was announced today (September 1st, 2014) that the Garden has received initial support* from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) with a pledge of more than £300,000 to develop its plans for the Regency Restoration project.

The scheme includes major archaeological work which will reveal the secrets of the estate from the time of Shakespeare and before, and see the restoration of the later Regency landscape that was one of the finest water parks in Britain. When completed, the Garden will once more feature the necklace of seven lakes, cascades, falls and weirs created more than 200 years ago and again boast the Regency planting scheme that formed the heart of its parkland. Director of the National Botanic Garden, Dr Rosie Plummer said: “This is fantastic news and we are very grateful to the HLF for signalling this start to a brand new and exciting era for the Garden. It is, of course, a major project and we need to acknowledge some of our other key funders, chief among whom are heritage philanthropist Richard Broyd OBE, who suggested and supported the project from the outset; Garfield Weston Foundation, Welsh Government, the Mercers’ Company and The Pilgrim Trust.

She added: “It is an ambitious project and the most significant undertaking since the Garden opened in 2000. It is one which will not only provide enduring value to this part of Wales but is also very much about honouring the original vision of William Wilkins and all the Garden’s founders.”

Dr Manon Antoniazzi, Chair of HLF’s Committee for Wales said: “This is an extremely promising project and we are thrilled to be able to provide initial support to develop the plans for the restoration of this Welsh landmark. The Garden provides such a rich reflection of Wales’ natural heritage and it is vital that this continues to be protected and developed so that future generations can also enjoy and appreciate these wonderful, Carmarthenshire landscapes. Not only did the National Botanic Garden make a convincing case for restoring the Regency landscape, there are ambitious plans for people to get involved in the project and new ways of helping people to learn about the heritage and significance of the site, including the little known links the East India Company had to the area. I’m looking forward to hearing how those plans develop.” Speaking on behalf of Welsh Government, Tourism Minister Edwina Hart welcomed the news and said: “This fascinating story of Middleton will resonate around the world – and it all emanates from Wales, played out by the people of Wales and Welsh-speaking people. This project is a coup for our National Botanic Garden and we await with great anticipation the opportunity to watch it progress.”

Chief Executive of Carmarthenshire County Council Mark James also heralded the announcement as great news for the Garden, the county and the region. He said: “Tourism is the beating heart of Carmarthenshire and is worth more than £330 million a year to the county. This will be an important addition to the great and growing heritage offer we have for visitors to Carmarthenshire and the region.”

The Garden’s Head of Development, Rob Thomas, who is responsible for successfully piloting the funding bid, said: “The Middletons who settled in Carmarthenshire in the last quarter of the 16th century were a family that comprised the prime movers in the creation of that early instrument of empire, the East India Company. They were not merely the petitioners for the original charter: they were the investors, directors, stakeholders and principal merchant adventurers in all of the Company’s first voyages of discovery and enterprise that came to be known as the Spice Wars.

“And it is the fortunes won by John, David and Sir Henry Middleton, during their brief and brutal lives and by their bequests, that created the Middleton Hall estate which flourished for more than 150 years: and theirs were fortunes gained through the vastly profitable business of plants for health, at a time when pepper and cloves were prized commodities and nutmeg and mace worth more than their weight in gold.”

Said Mr Thomas: “With the decline in the Middleton fortunes, the estate was acquired in the 1780s by Sir William Paxton, a Scot returning from his East India Company service as one of the wealthiest men in Britain. He set to work, creating the blueprint for the landscape here today, employing the finest minds of the day to design the mansion, gardens and necklace of lakes that surrounded his hilltop home. He would have been acutely aware of the Middleton history that he was buying into. This truly was the heyday of the estate and the Garden today can not only claim that it has been a site of formal growing for more than 400 years, but can also point to the fact that it had its very genesis in plants for health and the profits to be made from them and was sustained by the development and growth of the British Empire.

“It is an incredible story of pirates, plague and plants for health, and plots a period of 250 years of international trade from the times of barter and exchange to the establishment of international lines of credit and investment banking; the forging of the blueprint for our current capitalist system; and, in the hands of Sir William Paxton, the formation of modern investment banking.”

A collection of 16 contemporary botanical paintings are on show at the National Botanic Garden of Wales portraying plants that link the battlefields of WW1 to the support a gardening therapy charity offers to present-day veterans.

The images have been painted by Amicus Botanicus, a talented group of artists who are all graduates of the diploma in botanical painting at the English Gardening School at Chelsea Physic Garden.

Plants such as the iconic Victoria Cross Poppy and Flanders Poppy will be featured alongside the Tea plant flower – tea or ‘a brew’ being a vital part of a soldier’s day – and Forget-me-not – a symbol of desire for love or a lover. Crocus, lavender, sweet peas, tulip bulbs and honesty are also among those on show.

The paintings – including one by Welsh artist Louise Young, from Cardiff – will be on show from September 1st 2014 as part of a UK-wide tour aimed at raising awareness of and funds for the ‘horticultural therapy’ charity Gardening Leave.

Gardening Leave tends to the invisible wounds of conflict. It provides horticultural therapy to support troubled veterans on their journey to good mental and physical health and their transition to civilian life.

The Amicus Botanicus artists are all diverse in style and geography – USA to Singapore, Kent to Cardiff – but have come together for this touring exhibition. The artists have gifted this unique group of watercolours to the charity for its continued use. For more information about this and other Garden events, email info@gardenofwales.org.uk or call 01558 667149. For further information about Gardening Leave, contact Emma Mason on 07762 117433 or on emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk or visit www.gardeningleave.org

]]>http://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/news/botanical-art-exhibition-supports-veterans-charity/feed/0Magical mushroomshttp://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/news/magical-mushrooms/
http://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/news/magical-mushrooms/#commentsSat, 20 Sep 2014 08:53:19 +0000http://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/?p=25501The third annual Wales Fungus Day is promising to be the biggest and best yet.

Taking place at the National Botanic Garden on Sunday October 12, it will feature some of Wales’ top experts, a wild mushroom ‘cook-up’, a special (and unique) fungi patchwork exhibition, as well as family activities – including wooden-mushroom painting – sculptures, poetry and our fairy model village display.

Organiser Bruce Langridge said: “It is really shaping up to be an excellent event with all sorts of activities which will be of interest to experts and also the simply curious novice.”

Bruce is promising a mix of serious and scientific with some fun and games thrown in: “Like last year, we will have some of our country’s top mycologists leading walks through the woods and meadow in search of fungi. But, also like last year, we are offering free entry to anyone who comes dressed as a fairy or an elf – for that added bit of glamour.” Wales Fungus Day – part of UK Fungus Day – will also feature a display of books from the Garden’s Mycological Library, fungi illustrations, a fun fungi fairy trail and a demonstration of ‘fungi’ wood-turning. There will also be a special fungi menu in the Garden restaurant, special offers in the Gift Shop and chance to explore From Another Kingdom, the UK’s first major exhibition on fungi.

The National Botanic Garden will be open from 10am-4pm.

All Wales Fungus Day events are free with normal admission into the Garden, which is £8.50 adult, £7 OAPs, £4.50 Child (5-16) with under 5s are free.

For more information about the Garden, email info@gardenofwales.org.uk or call 01558 667149.

So, imagine how much fun it will be to see the Stroud Ukulele Orchestra in action.

They are performing at the National Botanic Garden of Wales on Saturday October 11 as part of the group’s annual trip to Wales, and are promising a heart-warming repertoire – from the serious to the silly and everything in between.

]]>http://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/news/uke-cannot-be-serious/feed/0Treasure hunthttp://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/news/treasure-hunt/
http://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/news/treasure-hunt/#commentsWed, 10 Sep 2014 09:00:57 +0000http://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/?p=25523The Big Autumn Antiques Weekend takes place at the National Botanic Garden of Wales on October 4 and 5.

There is a promise of high-quality china, jewellery, silver, textiles and furniture, as well as countless curios many smaller collectables.

So, something for everyone at this event, organised by Derwen Antiques, which will be using various venues including the Garden marquee, the Regency splendour of Principality House and the stunning surrounds of Lord Foster’s Great Glasshouse.

Organiser Brita Rogers said: “The fair will feature more than 50 stalls showcasing Welsh areas of collecting including pottery, jewellery, art and furniture. There will also be paintings and textiles – with a range of Welsh blankets on display.”

Brita is promising a wonderful spectacle with a huge array of styles and themes – from ancient Chinese, retro 60s and country farmhouse.

She added: “Newcomers to this event are Tony and Nikki Chadwick who will be displaying their extensive collection of Ewenny pottery. Their extensive collection includes Welsh pigs, cats and some stunning vases. Many of the Chadwicks’ pieces were stars of the show in an exhibition held at the Swansea Museum last year.”

The Big Autumn Antiques Weekend runs from 10am until 4.30pm on Saturday October 4 and Sunday October 5. There is plenty of free parking. Admission to the Garden is a special less-than-half-price reduced rate of £4.

For more information about events, email info@gardenofwales.org.uk or phone 01558 667149.

http://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/news/treasure-hunt/feed/0Mooch with your poochhttp://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/news/mooch-with-your-pooch/
http://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/news/mooch-with-your-pooch/#commentsMon, 01 Sep 2014 04:00:15 +0000http://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/?p=25449It’s time to take a lead and visit the National Botanic Garden of Wales with man’s best friend.

The Carmarthenshire attraction has one more date for the diaries of dog-lovers: Saturday September 20, which follows similar ‘trial’ days last year and earlier this.

Normally, only guide dogs are allowed on to the 568-acre site, which includes a national nature reserve, and dog owners are being asked to act responsibly and be considerate to other Garden visitors. The basic rules are: dogs must be kept on non-extendible leads; dogs must be kept off the flower beds, kept out of the buildings and that owners clear up after their pets.

The National Botanic Garden is open from 10am until 6pm. There is no charge for dogs.

For more information, go to www.gardenofwales.org.uk email info@gardenofwales.org.uk or call 01558 667149.

]]>http://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/news/mooch-with-your-pooch/feed/0Good day, neighbourhttp://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/news/good-day-neighbour-2/
http://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/news/good-day-neighbour-2/#commentsMon, 01 Sep 2014 02:00:29 +0000http://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/?p=25169The National Botanic Garden of Wales has declared Friday September 12, 2014, to be “Meet the Neighbours day”, which means free entry for anyone able to prove they live in the SA31 postcode area.

This special ‘Postcode Day’ initiative includes key talks by Garden staff and behind-the-scenes tours.

Head of Marketing, David Hardy said: “We’ve held special days for people living in SA32, SA14 and SA15 and they have proved very popular. Quite rightly, a number of other people living near the Garden in a different postcodes have asked: ‘What about us?’ So, we’re hoping SA31 Day helps to address that issue.”

Mr Hardy added: “The idea is to really connect with people living near the Garden and to include them in our plans. There’s lots going on here at the moment and, to help communicate this, we’ve lined up a day-long schedule of talks, tours and other activities – including some which are not available to the general visitor.”

Some highlights of “SA31” are: an ‘Under the Great Glasshouse’ tour; a ‘Meet the Director’ session, pond-dipping, ‘A Walk in the Med’ and a talk and tour around our Rock of Ages display. To claim your free entry, please bring along your council tax bill and other, separate (preferably photo) ID.

]]>http://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/news/good-day-neighbour-2/feed/0OMG! It’s a classichttp://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/news/omg-its-a-classic/
http://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/news/omg-its-a-classic/#commentsFri, 22 Aug 2014 09:05:09 +0000http://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/?p=25518Modern and classic cars will be the centre of attention when members of the Swansea MG Enthusiast Club stop off at the National Botanic Garden on their Brecon Beacons Car Run on Sunday September 28th.

Organiser Carol Hutson reckons there could be around 50 cars taking part – and more than that if the weather is good.

She said: “We will have lots of MGBs, MGCs and Midgets from the 60s onwards, plus MGAs, TF, ZRs, a Triumph Stag and maybe a Ferrari.”

The group is raising money for Alzheimer’s Support Group Swansea.

The National Botanic Garden is open from 10am to 6pm. For more information about this and other events at the Garden, email info@gardenofwales.org.uk or call 01558 667149.

]]>http://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/news/omg-its-a-classic/feed/0Good heavens! Garden gets special statushttp://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/news/good-heavens-garden-gets-special-status/
http://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/news/good-heavens-garden-gets-special-status/#commentsMon, 20 Jan 2014 07:00:31 +0000http://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/?p=22344The National Botanic Garden of Wales has been awarded Dark Sky Discovery Site status – the first botanic garden in Britain to earn this honour.

The move is official recognition by The UK Dark Sky Discovery partnership of the quality of the night sky over the Llanarthne attraction.

The Garden is one of 25 new official ‘dark sky’ sites announced this week, to coincide with the start of the BBC’s Stargazing Live Week on Tuesday January 7.

Dark Sky Discovery Partnership’s Dan Hillier said: “Congratulations to everyone ¬¬- the individuals and the organisation – who has been involved in creating your new Dark Sky Discovery Site. I really hope it enables even more people to be inspired by your local views of the universe.”

Colin Miles, a volunteer at the Garden and a committee member of the Swansea Astronomical Society, which holds regular star-gazing events at the Garden, said: “This is marvellous news. The Garden is ideal for astronomy and we will continue to hold regular events there to try and get people closer to the stars.”

The National Botanic Garden’s Director, Dr Rosie Plummer said: “Clear skies are an excellent measure of a good environment and this award of Dark Sky status emphasises our credentials as a hub for science, technology, engineering and mathematics activities, as well as confirming the Garden as an excellent venue for a great day out – or, in this case, a great night out!”

Dr Plummer added: “This will add impetus to our ambition of creating a site to house the 20″ Schafer-Maksutov Telescope which was formerly at the Marina Towers on the Swansea seafront.”

The next star-gazing event at the Garden is on Friday February 7, 6.30pm-9pm when visitors will have the opportunity to see the Moon, Jupiter, the Orion Nebula and other cosmic wonders, plus talks and telescope advice clinics in the Great Glasshouse; with cawl and coffee available from the Med Cafe.